Foot surgery is often followed by a long, painful recovery period. After foot surgery, such as bunion surgery, hammer-toe correction, reconstruction, etc., the foot is typically extremely sensitive to touch and weight, as well as to cold and heat. Foot surgery often involves the insertion of steel stabilizing pins into the bones of the foot. These pins remain sticking out of the foot during recovery and any movement of them causes extreme pain to the patient. After surgery, the foot is typically encased in a partial cast, with the toes or other portions of the foot exposed.
After foot surgery, the patient is often required to keep the foot elevated during the first stage of recovery. Elevation causes the blood to run away from the foot, and inflammation can cause the flow of blood to the foot to slow down even further, with the result that the exposed portion of the foot gets extremely cold, even in warm weather. During the recovery period, patients often find keeping the affected foot warm very difficult, especially at night. There are no shoes or socks large or flexible enough to fit over the cast and foot without causing pressure to be applied to the painful and sensitive areas.